A/N Thank you for reading this. I'm glad you like it. I do not own any of the songs that are mentioned in this part. Italics are their thoughts.
Paige guided Emily down the hallway to her room afraid of what was going to happen. Emily says "Wow the hallway is nice." Emily closes her eyes tightly Seriously Emily 'The hallway is nice.' What is wrong with you? Paige answers "Yeah. Some hotels hallways can be so drab." Emily sighs, What has happened to us that has us talking about hallways? Once in front of her door Paige opens it holding it open for Emily to enter "Here we are. My new home." Emily enters looking around "You have a kitchen. That's cool." Paige shrugs "Yeah. I don't really use it though. Most of the time I eat at the restaurant downstairs. They are better then anything I could prepare." Emily shakes her head "I doubt that you are a good cook." Paige blushes dipping her head "Thanks." After a quick tour of the livingroom, bedroom and bathroom the two end up back in the livingroom. Emily compliments "Nice place" sitting on the couch. Paige sits on the chair near by "Yeah I like it. It has everything I need. There's even maid service. Not that I use it all that much." Emily smiles "You've always kept your room so clean." Paige smiles Why is this so awkward?
Paige nervously rubs her knees "I think we should take things slow. You're still getting over Alison or maybe even still trying to figure out your feelings for her. I understand that. She was your first love." Emily shakes her head "You don't need to wait. I'm done with Alison. I can't believe I was so blind to who she is." Paige gives a half smile "I guess love really is blind. You see the best in them when nobody else can." Emily looks down "Alison manipulated me. Made me think that she felt the same way to keep me under her thumb. When you weren't around she kept her distance, heck we barely spoke. When you were around she was all over me whispering the weirdest things in my ear. It was about hurting you and I didn't see it. I'm so sorry." Paige puts her hand on Emily's "It's okay. I've done some really stupid things. It's easy to forget you ever felt something for me. To wonder did I ever really love her?" Emily freezes She thinks I never loved her. Emily feels Paige wipe away her tears "Hey don't cry. I'm sorry." Emily takes Paige's hand kissing her palm "You have nothing to apologize for. I'm crying because you think I never loved you." Paige bites her lip stopping herself from asking did you? Emily runs her thumb along Paige's bottom lip "I love you Paige. I'm so sorry I made you doubt it. I will spend this time and every second after letting you know how much I love you." Paige smiles nodding softly "I'll do the same." Emily stands up holding her hand out for Paige to take "Shall we join our friends again." Paige takes Emily's hand standing up and guiding Emily back to their friends.
Arriving back at their friends Paige shifts uncomfortable with the staring. Emily shakes her head "Paige and I are taking it slow. After everything that has happened with Alison I need to show Paige I did and do love her. I have hurt her and need to fix the wounds I've created." Paige clears her throat "Emily isn't the only one that needs to work on things. I need to work for the trust I've lost. Let Emily know I'm here for her and I am worthy of her love and trust. Please respect us and our decision." The group nods in acceptance.
Hanna blurts "What about you being here? Why are you here? Are you coming back to Rosewood?" Paige shakes her head "I got kicked out for leaving the swim team. I'm staying here. I have responsibilities here. I'm going to be enrolled at Wilton High. I don't know if I'm going to participate in any sports. I might focus on my studies."
Mona chimes in "I've spoke to my mom I'm transferring to Wilton too. I'm done with Rosewood. I feel free here. Paige is my friend and it'll be good for her to know she isn't alone. I don't trust the system Alison could get away. I don't want to be out in the open for her to shoot down. I can restart here get away from all that other stuff." Jenna nods "I'm already enrolled at Wilton so." Spencer points between the three "I had no idea you guys were friends. When did that happen?" The three say together "We've always been friends." Jenna and Paige stop talking allowing Mona to continue "We found a kinship in the fact that Alison bullied each of us. You need support in the kind of mental state bully does. The three of you had each other. The three of us came together to get through it. When Alison disappeared we drifted apart, as did you. When she came back we noticed she immediately went after Paige so we banned together again. It went unnoticed for the most part because it was all online occasionally it was in public when nobody else was around. Jenna and I noticed the shift in Paige. When we confronted her we found out it wasn't just because of the public displays Emily and Alison were always in." Mona brings up Paige's Facebook page showing the trio the comments Alison left.
When Emily hands the device to Santana she shakes her head "We already know. On our way here we checked to see what got Paige in such a funk and saw it. Why do you think we never left Paige's side? She shouldn't have to face that alone. Jenna and Mona couldn't let their friendship be known so they stood in the background helping until it got so dark Paige couldn't see them. This transfer is a good thing. Honestly I think getting Paige out of Pennsylvania is best but I know she won't go for that." Nodding toward the microphone Santana asks "Is that still on?" Paige nods "After work the employees blow off steam by singing or doing a comedy routine. It's on until like five in the morning." Santana, Quinn and Brittany stand up heading to it they start to sing Lean on Me.
When the song ends Paige's aunt walks up looking at Emily, Aria, Spencer and Hanna "It's to late for you to be leaving tonight. I have a room set up for the four of you." Handing over a key to she turns to Paige "It has been a long night perhaps you should go to bed." Paige nods "Okay. Come on ladies I'll show you to your room." On the way to the room Hanna comments "Wow nice hallway some hotels have such drab ones. This is nice." Emily smiles "That's what I said when Paige was leading me to her room." Hanna stops "You mean you weren't to busy tearing each others clothes off. What is the matter with you?" Emily furrows her brow "Who spends a month broken up only to have a wild romp in bed to restart the relationship." Hanna shrugs "Caleb and I did it that way. We got the sexual tension out of the way right away. It was great." Paige interrupts "This is it your room. Goodnight ladies." Emily grabs her wrist "Does going slow mean I don't get a kiss goodnight?" Paige kisses Emily softly "Goodnight Emily. Sleep tight." Emily's eyes flutter open "Goodnight. I love you." Paige kisses Emily cheek "Love you too."
Paige is sitting up lost in her thoughts when there's a knock on her door. Peeking through the peephole Paige opens the door "What's up Quinn?" Quinn shuffles slightly "Brittany and Santana are practising their jackrabbit impersonations. Can I stay here tonight?" Paige steps aside "Sure. You can have the bed I'll sleep on the couch." Quinn smiles "Thanks. You look horrible. Is everything okay? Do you want to talk?" Paige offers a weak smile "I'm fine. Just thinking." Quinn sits "You wondering if you made the right decision." Paige shakes her head "No I know I made the right decision. I love Emily. What happens when Alison gets free? She's a master manipulator she'll get out of this. When she comes back again will Emily leave again? I mean right now Emily is ticked off but once Alison sinks her teeth back into Emily, what happens then?" Quinn puts her hand on Paige's "There's too much evidence against her Alison is not getting away with this. I saw how Emily was looking at you tonight she loves you. Her eyes are open now she's staying put Paige. You should talk to Emily about this Paige." Paige looks down "I just of this now. I was watching the news there was a segment on Alison's trial. Her lawyer is trying to get the case thrown out. They are saying I provoked Alison into punching me. I threatened her into attacking me. Alison's going to get away with this Quinn. I'm going to lose everything, again." Quinn pats her knee "It'll be okay Paige. " Paige sighs covering her face, this conversation is not working.
Another knock on the door causes Paige to jump "Does nobody sleep." Looking through the peep hole she sees Emily "Hey. What's wrong?" Emily shrugs "I couldn't sleep. Can I come in?" Paige moves aside allowing Emily inside when Emily sees Quinn she frowns "What's she doing here?" Paige squeezes Emily's hand in comfort "Her roommates are connecting on a level Quinn would rather not hear. It's okay Emily we are just friends, nothing more. My heart is yours." Quinn stands up "We were just talking about Paige's fears over Alison's trial." Emily looks at Paige worry on her face. Paige glares at Quinn. Quinn shrugs off the glare adding "I'm off to bed. Goodnight."
Emily rubs Paige's arm "Do you want to talk about it?" Paige shakes her head closing her eyes tightly she knows she needs to. Taking a deep breath Paige starts "I was watching the news they had a segment on the trial. They are going to get the case thrown out. Their defence is I instigated it. Alison's going to go free and I'm going to lose you. You're angry now but it's not going to last. You're going to remember why you love her and leave again. I can't. She's going to get away with this." Paige's breathing gets ragged. Emily puts her hands on Paige's cheeks "Hey. It's okay. Breathe with me Paige, deep breath in and out. You're okay. I'm not going anywhere Paige. Alison is not getting away with this. On the off chance that she does I am not going back to her. I have seen the light. I will not let Alison manipulate me again. I love you Paige. I am not leaving you." Emily wipes the tears that have begun to fall kissing her forehead then her lips "I will not end this. It's the most genuine thing I have in my life." Paige chokes on a sigh hugging Emily tightly "I don't want to lose you again. Emily kisses Paige's temple rubbing her back soothingly "You won't." Emily holds Paige while she cries until Paige falls asleep. Emily closes her eyes I have a lot of fixing to do eventually falling asleep.
Paige wakes up on the couch, did I dream falling asleep in Emily's arms? Looking at the coffee table Paige sees a bouquet of flowers 'Sorry I couldn't be there when you woke up my mom wanted me home. I will be back later I promise. I love you, Emily.' Paige smiles, I didn't dream it. Quinn walks in "They are paper. Why would she give you paper flowers?" Paige replies "I am sensitive to smell, there's some really potent flowers out there. I'm also allergic." Quinn frowns "There is a bit of a smell to them though. It's nice." Paige leans forward smelling the flowers "Emily's perfume. I bought it for her. It's one of the smells I can handle." Quinn awes softly.
A knock on the door breaks the conversation Paige gets up to answer "Hey Brittany, Santana. What's up?" Brittany walks in Santana right behind "Not much. Oh flowers. Nice. Are they from Emily?" Paige smiles "Yeah they are." Santana touches the pedals "They're fake." Brittany awes "She remembered you're allergic. That's sweet. They never die too. Just like your love. I can tell." Santana shrugs "Yeah that's cool." Another knock on the door Quinn jumps up "That must be the room service. Don't worry we got enough for the two you too." Opening the door Quinn lets the bellhop in. Paige sits down with breakfast rehashing the evening to Brittany and Santana. Brittany puts her hand on Paige's knee "We're here for you Paige okay." Paige nods. Brittany, Santana and Quinn sing I'll be There for You. Paige waves her hands bringing the trio in for a hug "Thanks guys."
Emily walks to her car with her Rosewood Sharks duffle packed for the night Hanna joins her "Why give Paige fake flowers. I mean the thought was there but doesn't Paige deserve real flowers." Emily nods "Paige definitely deserves real flowers. I'd give them to her if she weren't allergic but because she is allergic I bought her fake ones. Paige is also sensitive to smell. That's why I ask you guys to mellow out on the perfume and body sprays when you're around her." Spencer adds "Didn't you spray them with perfume? That defeats the whole purpose doesn't it." Emily shakes her head "Paige bought me that perfume. It's one of the smells she can handle light application of." Hanna's face lights up "That's why you sprayed it away from the flowers then brought the flowers into the mist. The flowers didn't get the full strength. That's genius Emily."
Hanna looks in Emily's back seat "What's the bag for?" Emily leans against her car "Paige is worried Alison is going to get away with assaulting her and lose everything. With the trial starting up I want to be there for her so I talked to my mom and she gave me permission to stay with Paige until the trial is over. My mom talked to Paige's aunt to watch out for us and make sure we don't to carried away. I am not going to the trial because I know it doesn't matter that I'm not sitting behind Alison to her she'll spin it that I'm there for her and torture Paige." Spencer, Hanna and Aria nod "That does sound like Alison. I'm not going either. I won't give Alison incentive to hurt Paige. I like Paige to much." Spencer looks at Hanna "Wow you used that word correctly. Good job Hanna. I'm not going either. I was going to but now that I think about Alison could some serious damage with us being there. I mean I was called as a witness and I'll do that but I'm not going to show up until I need to." Aria nods "Me too. I won't go until I need to make my statement. We need to let Paige know she is not alone."
That evening at the hotels open mic the quartet sang I'll Stand by You to let Paige know they would be there for her. Emily sang I Won't Let Go her eyes never leaving Paige's. At the end of the song Emily went to Paige wiping her tears and kissing her softly.
Alison's trial went by quickly with Aria, Spencer, Hanna and Emily only showing up to stand witness that Paige did not provoke Alison in any way that night. The prosecution brought up surveillance video of both the bathroom stand off and the punch in the dining area backing up the girls statement. The prosecution also showed Facebook attacks Alison left on Paige's page showing that Paige did nothing to warrant these attacks. There was security footage of Alison and an accomplice assaulting Paige three days prior to the Brew attack. Alison did not apologize or show remorse even going so far as saying even though the attacks weren't instigated Pigskin did deserve it just for existing. Alison got four years for verbal assault, ten years for assault with a deadly weapon before the Brew attack and six years for the assault at the Brew. There was no chance of parole. The appeal was denied both times.
Alison's accomplice get twelve years for assaulting a minor and ten years with assault with a deadly weapon. There was no chance of parole and the two appeals were denied.
Quinn, Santana and Brittany are waiting for their train to go back to Lima "If you ever need anything Paige call us and we will come to you okay." Paige nods "Okay. The same goes for you guys. If you need anything I'm here." The trio nods "We know." The announcement for boarding rings through the pa "Well it looks like goodbyes are in order." Emily steps forward "Thank you for helping Paige. I'm glad she has you three to be there for her." Quinn shakes a finger "Don't you dare hurt her again or I'll come for you." Emily shakes her head "I won't. I promise." Santana adds "Good I don't want to have to go all Lima Heights on you. I may be shorter then you but I can whoop your butt." Emily smiles "I have a feeling you could take me. I would put up a good fight though." Santana laughs. Brittany takes Santana's hand "We have to go San. Emily take care of Paige. Please don't hurt again." Emily smiles softly "I will take care of her. Bye." Paige hugs the trio quickly "Thanks for coming to help. I appreciate it. Bye."